Dispensing cigarette lighter



June 14, 1949. A. E. HUTCHINSON ET AL 2,472,835

DISPENSING CIGARETTE LIGHTER Filed Dec. 26, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 34 33 INVENTORS.

23 ALTON E. Hl/TLH/NSON 7 By GERALD c. THOMAS ATTORNEY June 14, 1949. A. E. HUTCHINSON ET AL 2,472,835

DISPENS ING C IGARE'I'TE LIGHTER Filed Dec. 26, 1944 2 Shets-Sheet 2 48 6O 54 $3 'fi/ l'l'fl so 7 4p 3 s2 1 6 /4- 68 427 l R a v. Mr 37 455 55 3 f 48 I 44 AL r gx gl fi mlvson 2| 24 50 52 49 BY GERALD 6. THOMAS 4 l3 5 $49. 8. $3 56 ATTORNEY Patented June 14, 1949 UNITED STATES DISPENSING CIGARETTE LIGHTER- Alton E. Hutehinson, Milwaukee, Wis, angigeralg "Gf'Thoinas; Detroit; Mich., assig ggs by mesr e assignments; to Dowi Products, Inc., MiIwaukee, Wis.', a corporation of-Wiseonsin Application December 26, 19,4 4, Seriallip, igfiflfi? Our invention relates to cigarette lighters, and me pe e larl to a di e sin ga e t ht it is a purpose oi our invention to provide a sii heheihs e rette li hte which Comprises a receptacle or case in which the cigarettes are carried, whieh is provided with means for lighte ns a ci ar t a te the ame is d sc a ed om he rece a l bu w l en a d h upp t: t me ns a i d b t e re e ac Itis e ur r u ese f u inve ti n o pro.- de eemhihe ie i a e e s enser an i h h wh e is r v ded wi h m a fo i h i e tte eemht s a h a in e eme n she: t h m he a d at e hee t e ds f h cise t ai ue ieh m ns b i ee r so see e eperete n y whe e i tin an i being ehe i f d ai ehe ieh a d li h i mea ee ere hs o a hen he ei ere te is in m i h t b h e n h m a f rs e 313 ligh n meehs i et in o erat n the et m ns will cooperat w t eie e e 0 as 9 d ew e am in h m nn ha i h e eerte e uee i i on e th te e o w h: n the $3 em e heat n em n ns t e ing the lighting means.

It is a particular pu ose of our invention to provide means associated with the igniting means that serves as stop means or a barrier to hold the end of the cigarette thatis to be ignited in spaced relation to the heatiug element forming part of the lighting means, so that the cigarette will not be fused to the heating element upon ignition thereof.

It is a further purpose of our invention to provigle means for lighting a cigarette, which comprises means for controlling the length of time that the lighting means comprising the heating l m n nd h eh eh heeh is operating n the cigarette, said means comprising a, thermostatic element controlling both the suction oper- ,i

ated means and the operation of the heating ele: ment, said thermostatic means being adjustable to vary the length of time that the lighting means is operating on the cigarette.

It is a further purpose of our invention to provide a receptacle for the cigarettes comprising a drawer-like member, which is provided with a hinged cover member that is aqapted to swing to an open pgsition to iill said drawer-like member with cigarettes, and which is further provided with means for properly locating the drawer it its closed position for cooperation with the light ine m e e that the, eiseiette t it fete helh i we; b i highe t eaties te t e hetieh lighti methar; ten the he tieh ee ile .hih ee ee jr ewhhs t n ,ti h-e th iee et e in e retest !elej' Fig: 2 is a treeh eh ew hetteht Plath View ierwersi Pe -than he eei Seq-Wt the lighting thee. h heheieth e eeei iehe Fie is eh ehe e e en-eh here i sheine e li t it i fhh tm eeehe etwe e eti h with e t tett 'to li ht he seine:

4 e 5 view m la t t e 2 shewihe the 1 h eee ere iie relat n to a cigarette to light the same.

i e s t-etei View e evetieh e t he v e m nts eh i heh eehtihe h ef r g 6 is a feeeiheh a i w. part ee h and h r e 1h eleie eh t e heati element mehhtih 'eh th t eihiestetiee l ee tre ee ie 'e If i the ehe leti-ng meet e he li ht n me hani m ta seh e he lt eB-fi e Fi .2-

7 ehe eihel ee ieh l V e h a e a e seale eherh he eheti h ttl and ene iit ehew ne the elte Pr ide e the se ti n sett e he F ii s at g h hter eee i he Vi w through a portlon of the ire ahgithe receptacle for the cigarettes,"'tak ensupsta tially the line 3 ,3 ef F i,-

' Referring in detail to the girawings, our im- -et ,1 ,e""lighter comprises a ime" h 'wih' t ansve e 'est h n memf' fl hieh s r es s en et eehihe-h k fer he htir .d viee to e. suita e Phe-r en en eh eh e emi te vehicle and a ai e eesiteehh llie te hihe memb rs -1 wh h e when Y ie t- @KFPQiW P-QFUPQ I 2 lewer herh h e; he were u se he iheh e fl n e I 4 hee erthih. w eeh ithtehhetehtiehy Z ers that s e as ehide ie; e sheath meuh ed eiee e e eeht eiefi e d e e tee e eih eh Reilly et erti sheed h well I sai e r we to he re epwe "when y theeh' eih hin s iettieh 1 steh ii s t hih es, I 8 1 angl a. hinged l3 having an upstanding lip 25 at the forward end thereof, said hinged cover l9 being normally in position on top of the cigarettes 2i and fitting between the vertical side walls 22 of said receptacle. The forward end of the receptacle is open and is provided with a forwardly extending lip 23 providing a support for a cigarette passing out of the opening in the forward end thereof, and having an upstanding flange 24 at its extremity serving as stop means to limit such forward movement of the cigarette, said lip serving to position the cigarette properly relative to the lighting means, to be described below, and the parts 23 and 24 forming a handle for sliding the receptacle from the frame.

When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1 the receptacle is in a position for filling the same with cigarettes. A spring pressed follower member 25 is provided within the receptacle, between which and the year vertical wall N5 of said receptacle a zig-zag spring member 26 is mounted, which urges said follower forwardly toward the open end of the receptacle and the cigarettes 25 sidewise through the opening in the forward end of the receptacle onto the support 23 and into engagement with the flange 2d. Said follower 25 has a bottom wall 2! and side walls 28 which engage the bottom and side walls of the receptacle to guide the follower in its movement, said follower also having a flange 29 thereon for confining the forward end of the spring 26, and being provided with stop ears as on the side walls 28 which extend above the fixed top wall H of the receptacle between side walls 22 and the side edges of th wall l1, spaced therefrom, so as to engage with the frame member m to limit forward movement of the follower 25 so that it can not move beyond the position shown in Fig. 1 when the receptacle I5 is slid to the position shown in Fig. 1 and the cover member is moved to open position to insert the cigarettes 2| in position against the bottom wall of the drawer-like receptacle IS in a single layer.

After the receptacle has been filled, the same is slid back into a position such that the lip 25 on the cover member engages the forward edge of the frame member H1. The follower 25 will then act to push a cigarette 2| through the opening in the front end of the slidable receptacle l5 onto the support 23 and into engagement with the flange 24 on said support. Said cigarette will then be in alignment with a suction nozzle 3| and a heating element 32, which are mounted on opposite sides of the frame, so that the suction nozzle will be adapted to engage with one end of the cigarette and the heating element 32 will be adjacent the other end thereof.

The suction nozzle 3| is provided with a cupshaped opening 33 in the end thereof, with which one end of the cigarette 2i engages in substantiah ly fluidtight relation, when said nozzle is moved from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 4. Said nozzle is provided on the extremity of a pivoted arm 34, which has a passage 35 therein leading to the nozzle 3|, said passage 35 leading from a transverse passage 36 into which the suction pipe 3'! fits with a sliding fit, so as to make a substantially fluidtight connection between said suction pipe 31 and said passage 36. The walls of the passage 36 and the suction pipe 3'! slidable therein provide a slide Valve structure for opening and closing communication between the passage 35 and the passage 38 within the suction pipe 31. When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 7 the valve is open, which is the position of the suction nozzle shown in Fig. 4. When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2, however, the end of the suction pipe 31 is seated in the downwardly extending portion 39 of the passage 36 and the wall of the pipe 31 cuts off communication between the passage 35 and the passage 38, thus closing the slide valve thus provided. The pivoted arm 34 is mounted on a pivot member an and has a projecting end M, which is adapted to strike the vertical wall I2 of one of the guideways providing a distinct click to indicate that the lighting of the cigarette has been completed and the member 35 moved to the position shown in Fig. 2 upon release of the holding means for said lever 34 in a manner to be described below.

The suction pipe 31 leads to any suitable suction providing means, such as the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, or any other container in which a pressure below atmospheric pressure is provided by any suitable means.

The heating element 32 is mounted in an insulating block 42 and is connected with a terminal screw 43 carried by said insulating block to which a conductor 44 leads from a battery or other suitable source of electrical energy. A conductor 45, which may be a continuation of the high resistance wir comprising the heating element 32, extends in a groove in the insulating block 42 to the heating element 46, the purpose of which will be described below. The opposite end of the heating element 56 to that connected with the conductor 45 is connected with a terminal screw All, which carries the stationary contact is of a switching means, with which a contact member 49 mounted on the operating rod 5i] engages when the parts are in the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4, completing the circuit through the heating elements 32 and 46 from the conductor i through the switching elements it and d9 to the frame member I0 and thus to the frame of the automobile or similar device, upon which the cigarette lighter is mounted and which customarily has one terminal of the battery or other source of electrical energy connected therewith.

The operating rod 53 is pivotall connected with the pivoted arm or lever 36 at one end thereof, said operating member 58 having an upturned end 5! that is mounted for pivotal movement in an opening in said pivoted arm 3d. A coil spring 52 is secured at one end in an opening in the member 50, and at its other end engages a depending ear 53 provided on one of the guide members of the frame. said member 5!! extending through a similar ear 5% in the other guide member to thus guide the movements of said member 50 so that the same will have a substantially straight line movement transversely of the device. The member 50 is provided with a, reduced portion 55 spaced from the end portion 59 thereof forming the movable contact member of the switching means controlling supply of electricity to the heating element 32. The normal tendency of the spring 52 is to move the member 55 end-- wise toward the left in Figs. 3 and 4, or in a direction to move the parts to the position shown in Fig. 2. A latch 56, however, is provided, which has a normal tendency to seat in the recess or reduced portion 55 to lock the parts in the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4. It will be noted that the latch is made of sheet material and, preferably, is a bi-metallic element, which will change in shape upon being heated, as is customary in bi-metallic thermostatic elements provided in thermostatic controlling devices. The

aurzaaes latching end" of'themember Bi ls bent into a substantially V'-shaped form to provide a. sharp edge adapted 'tozseat -in;the recess .providedsby. the reducedportion 55;.

Referring'to Fig. 6, it will be noted that the latch member has afoot portion 5], whichis secured in fixed position to one of the flanges M and to the cross frame member ID by a securing element 58; From said foot" portion 51 an arm 59eXtends substantially at right angles to the inclined V-shapedt portion fill of the member 56, which constitutes the'lat'ching means engaging with the reduced portion 55 of the operating member 50.; A headed screw-threaded member 51 extends-through an opening in the foot portion 5:! of the latch 56 and screw-threadedly engages. the member I'll for adjusting the position of themember 56 to thusvarythe position of the inclined portion fill thereof relative tothe operating rod 58. The heating element 46, it will be noted, is closely adjacent the vertical arm 59 of the latch 56 .and will heat the bi-metallic latching element when said heating element 46 is energized. The heating element 46 will be energized at the same time the heating element 32 is energized.

Thus when the user of the device desires to light a cigarette he manually moves the pivoted arm 34 from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown inFig. 4::lnto engagement with one end of the cigarette 22!. It willkbe noted that a barrier or stop ear 62 is provided on the receptacle l5: projecting forwardly from the open forward end thereof so that movement of the cigarette M will belimited thereby upon engagement of the suction nozzle 3| therewith, to thus hold the end of the cigarette-opposite that in engagement with the suction nozzle spaced slightly from the heating element 32, to thus prevent any engagement of the cigarette with the heating element, such engagement causing fusing of the contents of the cigarette to the heating. element and prevent-- 'ing the successfullighting of the cigarette, as the ignited part thereof will stick to theheating element instead. of remaining in the cigarette. Furthermore the heating. element would become coated with the fused contents of' the cigarette andits efliciency wouldbe lowered.

When the :manual movement of the pivoted arm 34" from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 4 takes place the operating rod 5b, which also serves as a latching rod or holding member for the suction nozzle, .movesinto the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4' and'the latch 55 drops into the annular groove provided b the reduced portion 55 to latch the parts in position with the suctionnozzle in substantially fiuidtight engagement with the one end of the cigarette. At the same time the valve connecting the passage 38 with the passage 35 is opened and the connection to the suction nozzle 31 is completed from thesource of reduced pressure.

When the rod-like member 56.? is moved tothe position shown in.Figs.. 3 and 4' the contact 49 engages the stationary contact 48. and the circuit from the source of. electricity to the heating elements 3.2 and 46 is completed. The heating elements are thus energized at the. same time that the suction nozzle engages one end of the cigarette; The heating element 45 will heat up the birmetallic latch member so as tochange the shape thereof to gradually'raise the inclined end .80 awayfrom the reduced portion 55. The position of the latch member can, be adjusted by means of the adjusting, screw, 6,1 so; that, the

proper time interval will I elapse between the closing: of the switch made up of the contacts 48 and :Mrandthe opening thereof, due to the change in shape: of said latch member under. the influence of the-heating member 55, that the cigarette will be properly-lighted by theheating element 32 in cooperation with the suction means provided atzthe. opposite end thereof to that adjacent the heating element 32.

When: thel-bi-meta'llic element has changed in shape sufficiently to release the end of the latchfrom the reduced portion 55 of the rod-like memberfill the spring 52 will, by snap action, separate thecontacts 48. and t9, move the suction nozzle 3| quickly away, from the end of the cigarette, close the valve'made upoi the parts 35 and 3fland cause theencl. of the pivoted arm 3t beyond the pivot 40 to sharply strike the portion 920i one of the guide members to give an audible signal that the cigarette is lighted and ready to remove from the support 23. This can be readily done due to the fact that sufiicient space is provided on opposite sides of the support 23 to insert the fingers seas to raise the cigarette up off the support.

As soon as the cigarette has been removed from the support another cigarette will be moved by means of the follower member 25 into position to be operated on by the lighting mechanism. While these operations are taking place the bi-metal1ic element will cool sufiiciently that the latch will again engage with the reduced portion 55, if the pivoted arm 36 is moved into position to engage the suction nozzle with the end of the cigarette that is then imposition for lighting, whereupon the entire cycle of. operations above described will againtake place.

What We claim is:

1. In a combination cigarette dispenser and lighter, a frame, a receptacle adapted to contain cigarettes in side by side relation slidably mounted in said frame, means for limiting the sliding movement .of said receptacle in opposed directions, said means including a hinged cover movable to open position only when said receptacle is in one of its limiting positions, said receptacle having a discharge opening at one end thereof, means tending to urge said cigarettes sidewise toward said opening, supporting means on said receptacle for a cigarette discharged through said. opening, and means for lighting a cigarette on said supporting means.

2. In a combination cigarette dispenser and lighter, a frame, a receptacle adapted to contain cigarettes in side by side relation, slidably mounted in said frame, means for limiting the sliding movement of said receptacle in opposed directions, said means including a hinged cover movable to open position only when said receptacle is in one of. its limiting positions, said receptacle having a discharge opening at one end thereof means tending to urge said cigarettes sidewise toward said opening, supporting means on said receptacle for a cigarette discharged through said opening, and means for lighting a cigarette on said supporting means comprising a heating element mounted in fixed position on said dispenser and lighter adjacent one end; of said cigarette, suction means engaging the other endof said cigarette, and means for holding said one endof saidcigarette from contact with said heating element, said supporting means comprising a handle for sliding said receptacle in saidaframe.

3. In a combination cigarette dispenser; and

lighter, a horizontally disposed receptacle adapted to contain a row of cigarettes in side by side relation, said receptacle having a discharge opening at one end thereof, means tending to urge said cigarettes sidewise toward and through said opening, supporting means for a cigarette discharged through said opening mounted in fixed position relative to said receptacle, said supporting means having a stop thereon against which one of said cigarettes is pressed by the urging means, and means for lighting a cigarette on said supporting means comprising a heating element mounted in fixed position on said dispenser and lighter, a suction nozzle pivotally mounted on said dispenser and lighter and movable toward and away from one end of said cigarette, a switch controlling operation of said heating element, means for simultaneously closing said switch and moving said nozzle into engagement with said end of said cigarette, means urging said switch toward open position and said nozzle away from said cigarette, a latch mounted on said dispenser and lighter for holding said means from urging said switch, and nozzle to such position, means for releasing said latch a predetermined interval after said lighting means has been set in operation, and a barrier fixed On said support and positioned adjacent said heating element engaged by the end of said cigarette opposite that engaged by said suction nozzle.

4. In a combination cigarette dispenser and lighter, a horizontally disposed receptacle adapted to contain cigarettes in side by side relation, said receptacle having a constantly open discharge opening at one end thereof, means tending to urge said cigarettes sidewise toward and through said opening including a follower, means for limiting the movement of said follower toward said opening to a position short of passage entirely through said opening, supporting means for a cigarette discharged through said opening fixed relative to said receptacle and having upstanding stop means limiting discharge movement of said cigarettes, and means for lighting a cigarette on said supporting means in engagement with said stop means, comprising a heating element mounted in fixed position on said dispenser and lighter adjacent one end of said cigarette, suction means movably mounted on said dispenser and lighter for engagement with the other end of said cigarette, and means fixed relative to said supporting means and said receptacle for holding said one end of said cigarette from contact with said heating element.

5. In a combination cigarette dispenser and lighter, a frame, a receptacle adapted to contain cigarettes in side by side relation slidably mounted in said frame, a hinged cover on said receptacle, means on said cover for limiting the sliding movement of said receptacle in one direction, said receptacle having a discharge opening at one end thereof, means tending to collectively urge said cigarettes sidewise toward said opening, including a follower siidably mounted in said receptacle, means for limiting the movement of said follower toward said opening, supporting means for a cigarette discharge through said opening, and means for lighting a cigarette on said supporting means, said last named limiting means cooperating with said receptacle to limit sliding movement of said receptacle in the opposite direction, said cover being movable to open position when said receptacle is in the limiting position determined by said last mentioned limiting means.

6. In a combination cigarette dispenser and lighter, a horizontally disposed receptacle adapted to contain a row of cigarettes in side by side relation, said receptacle having a discharge opening at one end thereof, means tending to urge said cigarettes sidewise toward and through said opening, supporting means for a cigarette discharged through said opening mounted in fixed position relative to said receptacle, and means for lighting a cigarette on said supporting means comprising a, heating element mounted in fixed position on said dispenser and lighter adjacent one end of said cigarette, suction means pivotally mounted on said dispenser and lighter and manually movable into engagement with the other end of said cigarette, means actuated by the manual movement of said suction means to energize said heating element, said suction means being simultaneously connected into operation, and means for automatically throwing said suction means out of operation and simultaneously de-energizing said heating element after said heating element has been energized for a predetermined time interval.

'7. In a combination cigarette dispenser and lighter, a receptacle adapted to contain cigarettes in side by side relation, said receptacle having a discharge opening at one end thereof, means tending to urge said cigarettes sidewise toward and through said opening, supporting means for a cigarette discharged through said opening mounted in fixed position relative to said receptacle, and means for lighting a cigarette on said supporting means comprising a heating element mounted in fixed position on said dispenser and lighter adjacent one end of said cigarette, suction means pivotally mounted on said dispenser and lighter and manually movable into engagement with the other end of said cigarette, means actuated by the manual movement of said suction means to energize said heating element, said suction means being simultaneously connected into operation, and a second heating element mounted on said dispenser and lighter in series with said first mentioned heating element, means for throwing said suction means out of operation and simultaneously de-energizing said heating elements and holding means therefor comprising thermostatic means influenced by said second heating element for releasing said holding means.

8. In a combination cigarette dispenser and lighter, a container for cigarettes, a support on said container, means for delivering cigarettes singly from said container to said support, and means for lighting a cigarette on said support, comprising a heating element mounted in fixed position on said dispenser and lighter, a suction nozzle pivotally mounted on said dispenser and lighter and movable toward and away from one end of said cigarette, a switch controlling opertion of said heating element, means for simultaneously closing said switch and moving said nozzle into engagement with said end of said cigarette, means urging said switch toward open position and said nozzle away from said cigarette, a latch mounted on said dispenser and lighter for holding said means from urging said switch and nozzle to such position, said latch comprising thermostatic means, and a heating element in series with said first mentioned heating element mounted closely adjacent said thermostatic means to heat said thermostatic means to release said latch.

9. In a combination cigarette dispenser and lighter, a horizontally disposed receptacle adapted to contain a row of cigarettes in side by side relation, said receptacle having a discharge opening at one end thereof, means tending to urge said cigarettes sidewise toward and through said opening, supporting means for a cigarette discharged through said opening mounted in fixed position relative to said receptacle, said supporting means having a stop thereon against which one of said cigarettes is pressed by the urging means, and means for lighting a cigarette on said supporting means comprising a heating element mounted in fixed. position on said dispenser and lighter, a suction nozzle pivotally mounted on said dispenser and lighter and movable toward and away from one end of said cigarette, a switch controlling operation of said heating element, means for simultaneously closing said switch and moving said nozzle into engagement with said end of said cigarette, means urging said switch toward open position and said nozzle away from said cigarette, a latch mounted on said dispenser and lighter for holding said means from urging said switch and nozzle to such position,

REFERENCES CITED The following referenices are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,384,690 Dominick July 12, 1921 1,704,844 Stewart Mar. 12, 1929 2,002,492 Dess May 28, 1935 2,083,464 Mayer June 8, 1937 2,115,099 Ferguson Apr. 26, 1938 Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,472,835 June 14, 1949 ALTON E. HUTCHINSON ET AL.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 7, line 67, for the Word discharge read discharged;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice. Signed and sealed this 24th day of January, A. D. 1950.

moms F. MURPHY,

Am'dant Uommiuioner of Patents.

Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,472,835 June 14, 1949 ALTON E. HUTCHINSON ET AL.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 7, line 67, for the word discharge read discharged;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice. Signed and sealed this 24th day of January, A. D. 1950.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Amatontflommiuioner of Patents.- 

